The L-Unit is one of the most critical parts of any space-faring vessel. It's made of 340 lbs (154.22 kg) of steel, is shaped like an "L", and without it space travel is little more than a fantasy. The L-Unit in the Planet Express ship was functional until it was bent straight, causing the ship to crash into the New New York streets (3ACV06). Leela believed it was sabotage until security footage revealed that Bender was sleep-bending, causing him to straighten/bend many things in the Planet Express headquarters without him being aware of it.

Leela: This is a normal L-Unit. [Point to the L-Unit on the conference table.] Without it, space travel is but the fevered dream of a madman.Fry: Yep.Bender: Of course.Zoidberg: Doy!Hermes: It's an important unit.Leela: And this, my friends, is the L-Unit I just removed from the ship. [She pulls a sheet off an L-Unit. It is straight.]Everyone: [gasps]Fry: That doesn't look like an "L" at all. Unless you count lowercase.Bender: You know we don't! [He slaps Fry, who groans.]Leela: Whoever did this was strong. This is 340 lbs. of Tonka tough steel.Bender: [Stands at Leela's side and picks up the L-Unit.] Hmm. It should look like this. [He bends it into an L-shape.] But instead it looks like this. [He straightens it again.]Fry: Who would do a thing like that?Bender: Who could do a thing like that? And by "that", I mean this. [He bends the L-unit back and forth repeatedly.]